Veronica plant named ‘Amethyst Plume’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Amethyst Plume’, particularly distinguished by lilac-colored flowers in a unique plume-shaped inflorescence, healthy foliage, good mildew and rust resistance, and a well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Amethyst Plume’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant botanically known as Veronica hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Amethyst Plume’. The new cultivar originated from an open pollination in 2008 in a nursery location in Haarlem, The Netherlands between unknown male and female Veronica hybrida plants. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Veronica cultivars with improved branching, unique flower coloration, and compact habits.

The new cultivar was selected from the results of the open pollination in 2010 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem, The Netherlands since the summer of 2010, has shown that the unique features of the Veronica are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Haarlem, The Netherlands:

-   -   1. Lilac-colored flowers in a unique plume-shaped inflorescence;     -   2. Healthy foliage;     -   3. Good powdery mildew and rust resistance; and     -   4. Well-branched, compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Lavender Plume’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,045 (now abandoned). However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Amethyst Plume’ differ from plants of ‘Lavender Plume’ in at least flower color. Plants of ‘Amethyst Plume’ have a flower color that is not as blue as plants of ‘Lavender Plume’.

In addition the new cultivar can be compared to the commercially available cultivar ‘Purpleicious’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,639. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Amethyst Plume’ differ from plants of ‘Purpleicious’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a unique plume-shaped         inflorescence unlike plants of ‘Purpleicious’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are less branched than plants of         ‘Purpleicious’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar are taller than plants of         ‘Purpleicious’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Amethyst Plume’. The plant was field grown for approximately 1 year in Haarlem, The Netherlands in an outdoor nursery location. The plant was transplanted into a container for photography purposes.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Amethyst Plume’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Amethyst Plume’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Amethyst Plume’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken in August 2011 on 1-year-old field grown plants which were planted and grown outdoors in daytime temperatures between 14° C. and 28° C. and nighttime temperatures between 5° C. and 18° C. No pinching, growth retardants or photoperiodic treatments were used. Observations were made when the plants were in natural daylight conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida cultivar ‘Amethyst     Plume’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.         -   Male parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cutting.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 days with             average soil temperature of 14° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate density, poorly branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial. Overall shape: Inverted             triangle. High temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least             35° C. Low temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA             Zone 4. Excellent garden performance.         -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 months from rooted             cutting to a finish flowering plant.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Upright, moderately             vigorous.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 67.2 cm. Width: Approximately 40.8 cm. Rate of             growth: In spring, approximately 15 cm per month.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Pinching not             required, but will improve basal branching. Quantity of             branches per plant: Approximately 9.         -   Branches.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.             Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 39.1 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 4.8 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy, densely             pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of             pubescence: Approximately 0.3 mm. Color of young and mature             stems: 144A with an overlay of 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem:             Approximately 16. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.             Durability to stress: High.         -   Leaves.—Shape: Narrowly ovate. Margin: Serrate with             approximately 5 teeth per cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 7.9 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             2.6 cm. Texture of upper surface: Moderately glossy,             sparsely pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Texture             of lower surface: Slightly glossy, sparsely pubescent with             short greenish-white hairs. Length of pubescence upper and             lower surfaces: Approximately 0.3 mm. Color of upper surface             of young foliage: 143A and venation of 144B. Color of lower             surface of young foliage: 146B with venation of 144B. Color             of upper surface of mature foliage: Between N137A and 147A             with venation of 144B. Color of lower surface of mature             foliage: 147B with venation of 144B.         -   Petiole.—Shape: V-shaped. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Color: 143B to 144B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing             conditions with substantially continuous blooming from July             through late September in The Netherlands.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days.         -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 60 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, self-cleaning.             Fragrance: None detected. Height: Approximately 22.9 cm.             Width: Approximately 9.8 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per             mature inflorescence: Approximately 2,000. Rate of flower             opening: Approximately 20% of the flowers open at any stage.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Main inflorescences             erect and secondary inflorescences at approximately 40°             angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 22.3 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 143C. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single. Shape: Campanulate.             Aspect: Outward.         -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 1,500. Shape: Oblong. Length: Approximately             5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: 77B. Rate of             opening: Approximately 20% of buds open at once, all open             within approximately 8 weeks.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Height: Approximately 8.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 4. Arrangement: Approximately lower 40% of             each petal fused into a narrow tube. Appearance: Dull.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute.             Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color             of upper surface when first open: 77B. Color of lower             surface when first open: 77B. Color of upper surface when             fully open: N80A fading to N80B and N81B. Color of lower             surface when fully open: N80A.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Rotate. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: 4. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Narrowly             ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate, lower 5%             fused. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately             0.75 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color             of upper and lower surfaces of immature sepals: 143B. Color             of upper and lower surfaces of mature sepals: 143B to 143C.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately 60° angle             from vertical. Length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length:             Approximately 1.5 mm. Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Anther color: 70B. Filament color: N80A to N80B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 11D. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 8.0 mm.             Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma color: N80A. Style length:             Approximately 7.5 mm. Style color: N80A to N80B. Ovary             color: 144B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Good powdery mildew and rust     resistance. No particular resistance or susceptibility to other     diseases or insects noted to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Amethyst Plume’, substantially as herein shown and described. 